


Not His Holiday

by abib918



Series: After Watchmen [2]
Category: Watchmen (Comic)
Genre: Children, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Mother's Day, Multi, Not Canon Compliant, Post-Canon, bc screw canon amiright, walter isn't a huge douche
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:22:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24111994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abib918/pseuds/abib918
Summary: Mother's Day has always been a sore day for Walter. But somehow, seeing his own children with a mother like Laurie makes it better.
Relationships: Dan Dreiberg/Laurie Juspeczyk/Rorschach
Series: After Watchmen [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1760107
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Not His Holiday

Mother's Day was never his holiday. He saw it pointless, really. But, then again, Walter Kovacs had never really had a mother, had he? He'd had someone who occasionally decided he was good enough to feed. Mother's Day. The phrase felt like a cigarette burn to him. Until she had been born. Charlie Kovacs. He'd firmly believed the child would be Daniel's, but... there was always that chance.

It was his lucky day, he supposed.

Walter had refused to give up his last name when he'd been swept into the already happy pairing of Daniel and Laurie. So, with shaky hands, he scrawled a name. He named her after his father, the one he'd never known. He still hoped he was out there. Maybe he'd get to see his granddaughter. Maybe not. Maybe he was still out there, shaking hands with government officials, or up in heaven with God, like he'd thought when he was a teen.

They had another, this time with Daniel's genes, named Mason, after Dan's practically father and idol. Mason Hollis. Hilarious, Daniel thought it. It got a snort out of Walter. Maybe in the future the two siblings would wonder why their last names were different. Maybe Walter would explain his own stubbornness over a last name he should hate. Maybe. 

But they were walking now, talking. Calling Walter "Daddy" and Daniel "Dad", and Laurie "Mom". It was strange for him. Hearing that word without malice behind it. May rolled around, Charlie was 5, Mason was 4, and Laurie had her hands full. Charlie would be starting elementary school next year. It was scary. Mother's Day was soon, Laurie reminded him with a smirk. God, he loved her smirk. Her skill and ease at just _living_ amazed him.

He needed to do something. Something amazing. She'd always said she wanted a new costume. Something less skimpy. Something that reminded her less of her mother and more of herself. He'd sketched and written in his new journal ( they'd gotten him a new one for his birthday. They didn't have to ) designs of a new outfit. One that would fit even the lovely Silk Spectre. It nerved him out a bit, reminded him of all his time working with women's clothing, but... somehow, he got through it. Usually he couldn't. But Laurie just had that power, didn't she?

* * *

Daniel had found Walter at 2 in the morning, down in the old "lumber closet" as Dan called it to anyone visiting who wasn't a former mask. His eyes were tired from looking at stitches and fabric and thread, but his face was set with a silent, stony determination. Today was Mother's Day, after all. "Walter," Daniel croaked, still half asleep, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Working." was the only response he got.

His partner took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Yeah, I see _that._ Why are you working at _2 in the morning,_ though?" 

Walter paused for a moment, "Important. For Laurel." Not Laurie. Not any of the nicknames people had given Laurie over the years. It was Laurel. That was her name, and Walter insisted on calling her that, even when she told him it was okay to call her a nickname. "For today. A present."

A raised eyebrow, "A present? I thought you hated Mother's Day."

"Hate Mother's Day. Don't hate Laurel. Willing to quell hatred for her." It sounded odd, coming out of him, and he almost stopped entirely to rethink his life choices, but Walter kept going in his work, moving yellow fabric under his skinny fingers, never once looking his partner in the eyes. Too focused. Couldn't break it now. 

Daniel gave him a pat on the shoulder, startling him briefly, before the other's quiet and tired voice spoke to him, calmed him, "Listen. I'm going back to bed. Don't be up too much longer, or Laurie'll have your head for staying up so late. Then you won't be able to give her..." he adjusted his replaced glasses, squinting at Walter's work, "...What is that?" 

"New costume." the ginger replied quickly, "Said she wanted one with more protection. Made it all myself." Maybe it was a brag, but, it was true, wasn't it? All the needlework, done either by his hand manually, or by the machine he sat in front of, was all his, wasn't it?

The other smiled softly, in any case, running his fingers through Walter's hair. It felt calming, as it always did. Walter paused and shut his eyes as Daniel responded with a quiet chuckle, "Huh. Didn't think we'd link minds like this. Made her some new gadgets for when we go on patrol. Which _isn't_ on holidays anymore, right?"

"Right." 

"Ok." Dan gave Walter's hair one more run-through, before heading back towards the stairs, "Will I see you in bed soon?"

"Hopefully. Almost done, I think." 

And with a nod, Dan was headed back upstairs, and Walter was left in the Owl Nest to finish his late night work. 

* * *

The sun rose, finding Dan, Laurie, and Walter all in bed, Walter having crawled in between them at around three thirty that morning. He was the first to wake, as was the usual among the three, and he carefully sat up, hoping to not wake the other two. Laurie was next, about ten minutes later, and Dan was last, twenty minutes later then Walter. Laurie was showered in sleepy hugs and "Happy Mother's Day"s from her husbands as they all tried to find the willpower to get out of bed, only to be forced to do so by a two person brigade by the names of Charlie and Mason. They practically dragged their poor mother out of bed, grinning wide, their fathers following behind. 

They had prepared gifts of their own, likely with their fathers' help, given how _nice_ they looked. After Laurie gave them the appropriate amount of praise and love for the thought that went in, she moved on to her husbands' gifts, shooting them both a look of curiosity as she opened them. First was Dan's, a smile pulling at her lips as she inspected the new gadgets. Interesting little contraptions, useful for their... night work on the streets. 

And then came Walter's. She opened the present, unwrapping it carefully. She pulled out the costume with care and eyes wide as she inspected it. Dan chimed in, "He spent all last night making that. I thought he'd never come to bed." 

Laurie laughed into a hand, laid down the costume, and grabbed one of Walter's hands, squeezing it gently, "It's wonderful. You really didn't have to..." she paused, looking it over again, "You made this..?" 

"All myself." Walter smiled for a moment at the squeeze of his hand, "Thought you'd like it." 

"I _love it."_ She smiled brightly, "You thought right, for _once."_ Walter knew she was teasing. At one point, he hadn't. He nodded, the smile sticking to his face this time. They all began the day after that, Dan starting breakfast while the kids played twenty questions, and Laurie answered said questions. Walter would take over at some point, pulling out small pads for the kids to punch in practice. He wouldn't let them be defenseless, after all. 

Mother's Day was never Walter's holiday. But for Laurel, Dan, and his two little gremlins- it would be.

The past be damned. 


End file.
